Pets

Puppies Rescued in Afghanistan to be Reunited With Soldier that Saved Them

July 23, 2014 12:32 PM

Deidre Grieves / Pet360

Eight months ago, a U.S. Special Forces unit in Afghanistan witnessed a horrific scene of animal cruelty. They saw a group of Afghan men firing bullets at a female dog that was lying on the ground. The soldiers believed that the men were firing multiple times at the same dog, but when they got closer, the soldiers saw a litter of puppies and rushed in to intervene.

While they could not save all of the dogs, the soldiers were able to rescue two surviving puppies and took them back to a base camp where they were raised as comrades.

And now, according to a report from Fox News, the dogs, named Rommel and Blitz, will be reunited with the sergeant that saved them.

The sergeant, whose identity cannot being revealed due to security purposes, lives in North Carolina. With the help of Guardians of Rescue, an organization that works to reunite troops with the dogs they served with in Afghanistan, Rommel and Blitz arrived safely to John F. Kennedy International Airport. The dogs will be transported to North Carolina on July 23.

Robert Misseri, founder and president for Guardians of Rescue, told reporters that it’s a miracle that these dogs are still alive - especially given the extent of dog abuse in Afghanistan.

Funding to make the transport of both Rommel and Blitz was made possible by donations raised through Rachael’s Rescue. Because of the size of the dogs, the cost to transport them to the U.S. was $10,000. One of the dogs, Rommel, will be receiving physical therapy for a leg injury that he endured after being hit by a vehicle in Afghanistan.

This is an exciting moment for the solider that rescued these pups from a tragic fate, and we’re so happy to see Rommel and Blitz safely on the ground in America and on their way to a life of love and caring with one of our country’s military heroes.